Another Display of Unpatriotic Behavior From Sean Hannity and FOX News

Sean Hannity threw another temper tantrum last night, demonizing and attacking his fellow Americans during a time of war just because he didn't agree with his guest's politics. This time, Hannity got a little help from his FOX News co-workers.

Last night's intended victim was Dan DeWalt, a Vermont selectman who is voting for the impeachment of President Bush. "Fair and balanced" FOX News did its part to "soften up" Hannity's target for the audience by putting "Vermonster?" on the screen before he began speaking.

DeWalt spoke clearly and succinctly when he told Alan Colmes during the first half of the interview “I am ashamed of the actions of my president and my country.” DeWalt said he felt that “As a patriotic citizen of this country, I need to stand up for what the country stands for... greatness, … living up to the Constitution, and the rule of law.” DeWalt added that it’s not about politics or hating George Bush, that he didn’t like Reagan or Clinton either but never talked about impeaching either of them. “This isn’t about politics, this is about citizens of the country standing up for what we believe in.”

Sean Hannity made it clear from the start his only goal was to bully and demean his countryman. His first question was to ask DeWalt for whom he voted in the last presidential election. When DeWalt said he had voted for Ralph Nader, Hannity said with deliberate disgust, “A lot of good THAT did. It was a wasted vote.”

Hannity rudely interrupted DeWalt when he tried to respond. Hannity then tried one of his gotcha questions for DeWalt, asking him why he thinks Bush should be impeached when John Kerry also said there were WMD’s in Iraq. “Did he do the same thing as the president?”

DeWalt rightly answered, “I am not the least bit interested in John Kerry.” He explained that Kerry is not the president, that nobody has more intelligence information than the President and that President Bush should be held accountable. “What John Kerry knew, I don’t know. That’s not the issue. The issue is, who is in control of this country and who led this country to believe that there was a connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda and Iraq and 9/11.”

At first, I thought Hannity was going to engage in a real debate as he explained respectfully why he believes there IS a connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda and that Iraq DID have WMD’s. But when DeWalt provided a feisty, “WHERE are these weapons of mass destruction?” Hannity switched to the McCarthyite tactics of trying to make DeWalt a traitor. Here's the video of his next statement (Thanks again, Judy).

This is not only disgustingly anti-American, it’s a lie. As I have written before, three militaryofficers have told Sean Hannity that dissent is NOT hurting our war efforts. What makes Hannity, who never served, think he knows better? Interestingly, he never says.

DeWalt gave it back to Hannity in a simple sentence that must surely resonate with the majority of Americans who disagree with the war and the president’s management of it. “Let me tell you what undermines the troops… is telling them that we are going to war for reasons that are not true.”

Bully-boy Hannity simply couldn’t handle hearing the truth. “You are like a broken record,” he shouted, despite the fact that DeWalt had not said anything like that before and despite the fact that it is Hannity who keeps repeating the same irresponsible accusations. “You’re angry that you lost the election… You forgot we’re attacked on 9/11.”

Colmes broke in to end the discussion by saying that the issue should be debated “on a fair and even playing field,” but DeWalt was rightly upset by Hannity’s cheap tactics. “Why don’t you give me a chance to respond?” DeWalt demanded. So Colmes gave him 10 seconds.

Bully-Boy seemed unable to stand the idea that he was not in control. “It’s an idiotic proposal. Frankly not worth our time,” he peevishly called from his side of the desk. Poor thing – forced to take part in a discussion about impeaching the president when he could have spent the time bashing Harry Belafonte a little more.

DeWalt said, “We have a president that has misled these troops, he has not supported them, he has not equipped them.”

“Aw, stop it,” Hannity shouted.

DeWalt was disgusted. Who could blame him? “You guys are like Mickey Mouse and Tweedlebird… You invite me up for a conversation…”

Hannity showed what kind of a great American he really is. “And you’re a waste of our time.”

Readers: As I have promised, every time Sean Hannity and FOX News displays such un-American behavior, I am going to single out one advertiser to contact and ask them if they really want to stand behind such McCarthy tactics. Tonight’s advertiser is Fidelity Investments. You can contect them here. My email to them is in a separate post here.

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